Meiji Period Prints (1868-1912)
Meiji-period woodblock prints reflect an era of change. In 1853, the arrival of Commodore Perry’s black ships brought over 250 years of Japanese isolation to an abrupt end. The following year, as Japan engaged in international trade, Yokohama-e (Yokohama pictures) captured an influx of unfamiliar peoples, places and things entering Japan through Yokohama harbor. By 1868, the Imperial line attained control of the country under Emperor Meiji, terminating the feudal rule of the Tokugawa Shogunate and dissipating the culture of the floating world. Under the emperor, national modernization progressed rapidly. From Western-style clothes and pastimes, to exciting new inventions from overseas, Japan absorbed the massive influx of the foreign and developed a distinctly Japanese modern identity. While photography and lithography gained popularity at this time, the woodblock print continued to serve as a powerful medium. Meiji period artists made sense of a transitioning world with a familiar medium.
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Kunichika
Ichikawa Danjuro as Kumagai Naozane and Ichikawa Yonezo as Taira no Atsumori
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Kunichika
Kabuki Play Modoribashi, Inoue Kikugoro V as the Demon of Mt. Atago Disguised as Sayuri
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Yoshitoshi
The Story of the Monk Ikkyu and Courtesan Jigoku-dayu
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Yoshitoshi
Fujiwara no Yasumasa Plays the Flute by Moonlight
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Yoshitoshi
Life of Yoshitsune: The Fight on Gojo Bridge with Benkei
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Chikanobu
The Battle of Awazugahara: Tomoe Gozen and Hatakeyama Shigetada
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